Plagiarism

How to avoid it!

Plagiarism – What is It?

"plagiarism noun" The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.

Plagiarism is not just something that students do! We all have to be careful!

I cited where I found this definition, but notice that Oxford Reference Online also cited the dictionary!

Plagiarism – Who Does It?

• People who simply are cheating - intentionally passing off the work of another as their own.

• People who don’t realize that they’ve plagiarized.

Plagiarism – Yes or No

Your friend gives you a copy of their old research paper. You turn this in as your own…

YES – Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You need to turn in a paper about global warming. You find a great paper on a website, and purchase it for $10.95. You turn this in as your assignment…

YES – Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You’re writing a paper about John Lennon, and you include a quote from one of his songs. You put it in quotation marks, and include a proper citation for this quote in your paper…

Not Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You’ve read an article, and like the way the author explained a problem. You copy and paste that paragraph into your paper, you put the author’s name in parentheses afterwards, and you add a citation at the end of your paper.

(Remember to put “exact quotes” in quotation marks!)

YES – Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You read an article and like the information that it provides. You include this in your paper, but you’ve written it out in your own words, so you don’t add a citation.

YES – Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You strongly believe that NASA deserves more funding, and you state this in your paper with no citations.

Not Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You explain in your paper that York is south of Harrisburg, PA. You do not include a citation for this.

Common knowledge is not considered plagiarism.

Not Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

Last semester, you wrote a paper for your English class about the evils of breakfast cereal. This semester, you’re asked to write a similar paper, and your cereal paper is perfect. You make some small changes, and turn it in.

Talk to your instructor, first. They might be able to work with you! (Avoid academic dishonesty)

YES – Self-Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You have properly cited an article, but in your works-cited list, you accidentally used a comma instead of a period in one place!

You might lose a few points on your grade for the error, but you’ve still given credit honestly.

Not Plagiarism!

Plagiarism – Yes or No

You are required to have 5 scholarly articles in your works cited list. You have 5 articles, but have only used 4 of them in your paper.

(Academic Dishonesty)

Fabrication

Avoid Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty

• Using another person’s ideas – Cite them properly

• Exact quotes – Use quotation marks and cite them properly.

• If you don’t want your instructor to know, then don’t do it!

HACC & Academic Dishonesty

Harrisburg Area Community College. Academic Dishonesty. 2010. 20 August 2010 <http://www.hacc.edu/Academics/AcademicPolicies/Academic-Dishonesty.cfm>.

Plagiarism – More Information

HACC, Academic Dishonesty http://www.hacc.edu/Academics/AcademicPolicies/Academic-Dishonesty.cfm

Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab):• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/02/